Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey recently spoke together at a forum called “Opioid Crisis of the Two Virginias” at Bluefield University. Both made it clear that they want drug cartels to be labeled as terrorist organizations and fentanyl to be labeled a weapon of mass destruction.
The opioid crisis in West Virginia and Virginia, which was initiated by pharmaceutical companies promoting addictive painkillers, has led to devastating consequences. Nearly 2,000 Virginians died from fentanyl overdoses in 2022, making it the leading cause of unnatural death in the state. In West Virginia, over 1,100 people died from fentanyl overdose in 2021, accounting for 76% of all drug overdose deaths.
At the forum, Miyares stated that both states have been "ravaged" by fentanyl. The blame was placed on Mexican drug cartels and U.S. policies. It was discussed how the cartels obtain the chemicals needed to make fentanyl from China, and if the cartels were labeled as terrorist organizations, more severe action could be taken. Both attorney generals agreed on the need to put more pressure on Mexico and China to address the supply side of the fentanyl crisis.
The Drug Enforcement Agency has identified the Sinaloa and Jalisco drug cartels as the main suppliers of illegal fentanyl in the United States, and defeating them is a top priority. However, the fight against the fentanyl epidemic is not limited to these cartels alone. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there were an estimated 109,680 overdose deaths in the United States in 2022.
In addition to addressing the drug cartels, Miyares and Morrisey have also taken action on the immigration front. They were among the 27 state attorney generals who signed a petition to change President Biden's immigration policies and secure the border.
The fight against the fentanyl epidemic is ongoing, and Miyares and Morrisey are determined to take decisive action. By labeling drug cartels as terrorist organizations and fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, they hope to intensify efforts to combat the supply and distribution of this deadly drug.
